From the President of Congress

[dateline] Philadelphia June 20th: 1781

[salute] Sir

You will receive herewith enclosed a letter addressed to his most Christian Majesty;
with a Copy of the Same for your information.1

Also a Commission constituting the four gentlemen therein named in addition to yourself
our Ministers for negotiating peace. Also another commission and duplicate Authorizing
them to accept the Mediation of the Emperor of Germany and Empress of Russia, in one
of which you will observe the Emperor is first named, and in the other the Empress.
These are to be made use of as circumstances shall render expedient.

I have also enclosed Instructions (in cypher) for your government in addition to those
formerly given for negociating peace with Great-Brittain.2

No additional Instructions to your former are yet given relative to a treaty of Commerce
with Great-Brittain.3

You will immediately communicate the receipt of these dispatches to Docr. Franklin
and Mr. Jay to whom duplicates are also forwarded with Similar directions.

I have the honour to be with perfect Respect your humble servant

[signed] Saml. Huntington Presid.

P.S. Since writing the foregoing, for want of another conveyance, I have determind
to Send this by the Same Conveyance that carries the Duplicates to Docr. Franklin,
have therefore taken out, the letter to the King of France, and Copy mentioned in
the foregoing.

1. Congress' letter of 13 June to Louis XVI thanked him for the renewed military and
financial support he promised the U.S. (JCC, 20:638–639). See also Huntington's postscript.

2. For the enclosures, see Commissions and Instructions for Mediation and Peace, 15 June, above.

3. For Congress' 12 July revocation of JA's commission and instructions to negotiate an Anglo-American commercial treaty, dated
29 Sept. and 16 Oct. 1779 respectively, see the letter of 21 July from the Committee for Foreign Affairs, below.